Half-hearted decency pledges, unkept promises to implement gender bias training, vague commitments to become more accessible, with so much noise and so little action, it’s hard to stay optimistic about the state of venture capital. As an industry, it’s clear that we need proactive investors who are not only willing to lead the charge, but also to recruit peers to change the ratio of female investors and investments in female entrepreneurs. Participation must include all levels of VCs, from early stage scouts and micro funds to larger late stage funds.
Trish Costello, Partner, Portfolia
"Nearly all our limited partner members are women and we focus where women make markets. The success factors of women-led companies are very clear and they are the influencers and market-makers behind most venture-backed companies."